


In the Shadows of the Puppet Store

by Fjeril



Series: Fjeril Fictober 2018 [29]
Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Female Pronouns for Narukami Arashi, Mentions of Itsuki Shu, Puppets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 22:22:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16458128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fjeril/pseuds/Fjeril
Summary: Naru loves puppets, but she isn't too sure about the shop owner. Especially after she meets his lone employee.





	In the Shadows of the Puppet Store

**Author's Note:**

> Fictober day 29: "At least it can't get any worse"  
> Yes I'm planning on writing three things today, at least I hope I can write the third one dfigkd  
> In any case, enjoy!

On the streets of the Golden Neighborhoods, during the day, one could often witness a peculiar car circulate. It was of a red so deep it almost looked black, with curtains of a way lighter shade. The finitions were golden, making it a fine piece of work. The car of a noble, people expected, and while they weren't completely wrong, the writings "Valkyrie Marionette" on its sides, decorated with cog-wheels, were a pretty good indication that it was the car of a shop.

Nobody had ever seen the inside, except for the owner and the one who both conducted the car and repaired it; but the comfortable seats were covered in red velvet surrounded by gold. A fine piece, truly. For a fine owner? Well, that was up to everybody's own judgement.

Narukami Arashi, who had visited the shop a few times was pretty sure all this luxury was a way to hide a terrible personality, and that, no matter how good of a job Itsuki Shu was doing. The puppets on the shelves were pieces of art, according to her, all beautiful and with different features. She owned a few models, but had recently started to be way less comfortable with going to that shop.

One evening, she had met with the young man that drove the car, maintained it, and also delivered orders. The poor boy, she had learnt, had fled from his family in another region, without any money on him. Kagehira Mika had nothing more than his clothes and determination when he arrived in that town, until he was hired in the puppet shop. That evening, Naru had treated him with food, even though he had refused out of modesty at first.

They had met by accident a few more times, and it didn't take long for Naru to melt under the cute, shy smiles he adressed her. Mika always blushed when he smiled to her, and she had found herself in the same situation before she even realized it. After a while, she had started waiting for him on the evenings, inviting him now and then to restaurants she liked, or just to take a walk together - if his boss wasn't too happy about it, Mika always looked like he had been given a birthday present.

No matter how shy he had been the very first times, before he even noticed it, Mika had started talking a lot to Naru. So much that sometimes she couldn't even get to answer; but it didn't matter to her. Somewhere along the way, she had found out that she loved it when Mika spoke without stopping, something he wasn't really allowed why on his job.

Yet, that very one evening, things were different. It wasn't rare that Mika looked depressed after the shop was closed, but his face usually lightened up when he saw Naru and they walked aimlessly together for a while. That night, though, it didn't light up at all, no matter the stories she had to tell him about weird things that happened while she was on duty as a royal guard, or how many sweets she bought him.

So, before the time they usually separated, she brought him by the seaside, just outside of the city. Together, they sat on the sand, and looked at the ocean.

"Mika," she gently called.

The other one turned towards her, a shy smile tainted with sadness on his lips.

"What is it?" he answered, his voice as broken as her heart.

"I know you don't want to talk about it," she started, "but something happened, didn't it? Something so important your sadness didn't leave you at all tonight."

He looked at her, hesitant. She didn't know if he'd agree to talk with her, but at least, he'd know she had noticed, and she had tried to make him smile. Surprisingly, though, this time, he _did_ smile a little more naturally.

"As expected from ya, Naru," the young man whispered, slightly shaking from the cold, "I shouldn't hav' tried t' hide it, right."

She slightly nodded, before giving him her jacket - he'd say he wasn't cold, but his body language said the opposite, and if nothing were done, he'd soon turn into ice itself.

"The Master... He's not a bad guy, okay?" this was a warning, for he knew Naru's resentment towards the man that hired him.

"That still needs to be proven, but I promise I'll stay calm. Or at least I'll try," she answered, already feeling annoyance grow in her heart.

"Okay. Now. He said we're havin' troubles. We're gettin' less an' less orders lately, makin' less an' less profit. Said if it goes on this way he'll hav' t' get rid o' me. Implied it could be my fault for the way I look an' talk, too, apparently some people aren't too fond of my accent. Or my eyes, but even I hate them. Anyway, means I'm soon jobless an' homeless. At least, it can't get any worse."

The young woman bit her lips very hard to prevent herself from shouting. Mika was the kind that was startled when one raised their voice, to the point he made basic mistakes when that happened, even when it wasn't directed towards him. Naru needed to breath and find the right words to answer this all without going back to the shop and kicking that man's ass.

Instead, she stared at the water, hoping it's help her calm down. Before she even realized it, she started talking:

"It's true that lately, another puppet shop has started its business in the neighborhoods. But their products aren't half as good as the one your shop sells. Even if I can never get to like Itsuki, saying his goods aren't of the highest quality would be lying. But getting rid of you? Is he crazy? He refuses to deliver by himself and even less to drive his own car. If you leave, his shop is over."

She took another deep breath, feeling herself about to shout.

"Besides," she added, "If clients are upset by your accent or your physical appearence, then they're not good clients. What should matter is the products they get and in which state they get it, shouldn't it? I've never seen someone as delicate as you when it's about the puppets - I'm pretty sure none of these people even talk to the poor girls once they get them. And about your eyes..."

Mika's eyes, Naru could talk about them for days without stopping. She couldn't even begin to understand why and how people could hate them so much, when they were so beautiful. She loved them, when they turned towards her and filled with stars, when they looked full with hopes and dreams every time they spoke together. The difference in their color only made them even more charming, and on a man as charming as Mika, they were the death of her.

_Oh crap,_ she noticed, _I really fell for him, didn't I?_

"Your eyes shouldn't be a problem to anybody. They're _yours_ and they're much more beautiful than any jewel any of your clients could possess. They say a lot about you and how exceptionnal you are for leading the life you do."

The young man looked at her, confused, as if she had said something very weird, or very stupid. Which could actually be how she sounded; after all she had spoken from the bottom of her heart. That, or Mika didn't think he was exceptionnal in any point, which would rather be the correct answer. He seemed a bit lost, even when he got up. Had she said something wrong?! Naru got up too, ready to apologize, already extending her hand to catch her friend's shoulder. But he only turned towards her, a real smile on his lips.

When Mika approached the water to look at his own reflection, Naru thought she'd need to order a puppet with odd eyes very soon.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading ♡


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